He believed the area to be a large island at first, christening the region "Tierra de Gracia" or Land of Grace.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the Venezuelan government decided to build a port to serve as an intermediate transfer point for cargo.

The town became the capital of Cristobal Colon Federal Territory and enjoyed a considerable level of activity.

Early in the 20th Century, when seaplanes started to become the main means of air travel, Pan Am used the bay of Macuro as the place where its passengers to Trinidad would disembark, due to the serenity of its waters; from there they would be taken by boat to the island a few miles away.

[citation needed] The lack of job opportunities causes many young men to leave the town, seeking employment elsewhere.